A Servant of One
by llLethell
Summary: It was like being on the edge of waking. Knowing he was trapped inside himself, with one purpose consuming his mind as he was powerless to stop it. Morgana would kill the king with Merlin's hands, but he would fight. On his life, he would fight. *AU version of A Servant of Two Masters*
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Merlin**

**A big huge thank you to Paralelsky for taking the time to beta :)**

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|o|

The sun was sleeping peacefully under the blanket of night, leaving Camelot in the company of the silver moon. Pale fingers of light caressed the dark city, drifting softly through the streets while silence crept in like a mist.

However, there was one person in Camelot whom the peaceful night did not touch. Turmoil was spelled out on a pale man's sleeping face and his tense body was twitching in discomfort. It was so piercingly dark in his mind that Merlin wished he was having a nightmare. But this was his reality unfortunately, a vague realm, where outside words would weave in and out of his hearing, smells would reach him only occasionally, and vision would come in fleeting glimpses. And all of it was happening as he went through a normal day- as his friends thought he was himself. But he was not, and in the small reach of his mind that he had salvaged, Merlin knew that someone was commanding him like a puppet. It was like being on the edge of waking. Knowing he was trapped inside himself, with one purpose consuming his mind as he was powerless to stop it. Morgana would kill the king with Merlin's hands, but he would fight. On his life, he would fight.

Something was making him have a poisonous urge to kill his king, and Merlin had fought for awareness when the day's attempts had been far too close. It had cost him a ridiculous amount of strength to muster up the lucidity to stop himself and it was only due to his magic that he had done it. He was now vaguely aware that his head was hurting, either from his endeavour at taking back control or from his deliberate run in with the pillar earlier in the king's chambers.

Never before had his magic been so taxing to use. And he had only delayed a crossbow from firing and pushed himself into the pillar hard enough to knock himself out- all so that he would not kill his friend. The thought of killing Arthur disgusted him. Terrified him. He had been so close at ridding the danger to Arthur when he had let go of that cross bow, if only his body hadn't reacted so fast. But now, all he could do was to keep clawing through the suffocating darkness and hoping he could stop himself. A sudden wave of oblivion speared through him, coating his magic and rending him unable to reach for consciousness. He could not say how long it took to pass, but the next thing he was aware of was a distant bobbing motion. Merlin recognized that he was walking and the realization caused him to panic and thereby gave him strength to clear the dark fog in his head. The first sense that came to him was touch- he felt the cool outside air on his skin, and the way his footfalls met the ground. He felt himself walking to the familiar route to Arthur's chambers.

Merlin's body stumbled as the man trapped inside won the battle for his sight. It filtered in slowly at first, like walking through a windowed hall where the outside was his vision. And when it finally became fluid, he could not see clearly. It was like the time he put on Gaius' glasses, everything was blurred, skewed and disorienting. Merlin wanted to despair; his renewed effort had drained him and had caused a shooting pain to pulse from the back of his neck to his head.

Though Merlin may as well have been chained inside a coffin, he clung to his handhold and did not let go. Merlin's body was getting closer to Arthur's chambers and in the precious few minutes that he still had, Merlin needed to wrestle control back to himself. His breathing had quickened by the time he arrived and his fingers were twitching around the dagger he hadn't realized was holding. Merlin was unconcerned of the toll on his body, for he knew he was making progress- like coming up for a breath of air in a dark lake. But the weights of the dark magic were still drowning him and now Arthur's door was open.

'No!' Merlin screamed in his mind, still unable to control his own body. But his panic gave him strength and he was made aware at how fruitless his efforts were proving. 'Arthur!'

But the king remained peacefully asleep, unaware of the threat advancing on him. Even if he had heard, the familiar sound of Merlin's footsteps would not cause him to wake. Merlin watched from his eyes as his trembling hand rose, honing in with the dagger to his prey.

'Arthur!' Merlin tried to scream again. Tears formed in eyes set on an aloof face, when Merlin's mouth did not open like he wanted it to. The window curtains were left open a sliver, and the moonlight caught on the gleaming blade and Arthur's pale vulnerable skin as revealed by his shirt. The stranger wearing Merlin's body curved his lips in a smile not meant for the warlock's face – it spoke of scheming and murder, and not the usual good hearted mischief and amusement. Merlin's hands twitched in eagerness, as they drew the dagger up above his head.

_Would Arthur open his eyes before he died? Would he see his killer? Would he be horrified with betrayal?_ These thoughts came unbidden from the corners Merlin's mind as his body waited by Arthur's bedside, for the perfect moment to kill the sleeping king.

Merlin let out a noiseless laugh, while tears streaked down his face. He tightened his hand on the dagger and drove his arm down. "No!" his voice shouted.

The dagger stopped mere inches from Arthur's exposed chest and the king awoke the same time. Merlin yanked the dagger up a few centimeters but could not move back and Arthur sat up alarmed at his shout. Their eyes met and Arthur could only gape. Merlin looked at his friend and tried to back away, but it was so heavy. Everything was heavy, the very air tried to pull him down and his limbs felt so far away.

Arthur was speechless and likely shocked. As Merlin warred with himself to retreat, he thought that maybe Arthur thought he was dreaming. Just a split second later, a horrible pain seared through his skull and the momentary shock allowed the dark magic to regain a hold of him. But not for long. Merlin's body shuddered and he managed to talk once more.

"Arthur-" Was the only word he managed, and it was rife with a plea. Like rising nausea, the evil in his mind erupted and Merlin was aware that he barely had seconds to act before he was overcome once more.

There was no time for even thought as Merlin plunged the blade towards himself.

|o|

Arthur had had a spectacular day. One of the best in a long while. The euphoria he felt when he saw Merlin alive had only increased when it turned out that the servant was indeed alright. Merlin had even resumed his duties, though Arthur would have gladly excused him for the day.

But now he was having a nightmare, for what else could this be? Merlin was standing tensely at his bedside, clenching a dagger in his violently trembling hands. Arthur could only stare at the shocking sight and without his consent, his mind tried to decipher the meaning of this dream. Guilt must be the reason. Arthur had lost Merlin and it was his fault that Merlin had come so close to dying. So now his guilt and fear had materialized in this dream form of Merlin trying to kill him as punishment.

"Arthur." Merlin's gasp was so tortured Arthur felt some of his pain. The king did not have time to think on the fact that he had never once had a dream so vivid because the dagger in Merlin's hand started to rush towards the holder.

Arthur acted without thinking. "Merlin!" He barely managed to seize his friend's hands before it was too late. "Merlin, stop!" The servant was staring desperately at the dagger, and trying with all his strength to jerk it away from Arthur. To his horror, Arthur heard Merlin's shirt rip where the tip of the blade tore it - the king realized that the fight for the blade was causing shallow cuts to pepper Merlin's skin. With a yell, Arthur pushed Merlin back, nearly tripping after jumping down from the bed, while using one hand to push Merlin's shoulder back and the other to lift the wrist that clutched the dagger.

Their frantic eyes met, and Arthur was shocked to see tears falling down Merlin's cheeks. The servant then closed his eyes in what looked like pain, and Arthur took advantage of the momentary lack of resistance. He pushed the dagger farther away from Merlin, but too soon Merlin started pulling against him again.

"Merlin, what the hell!" he growled. This was a reminder that Merlin was much stronger than he looked. Why in the world could Arthur not wake up?

"Kill me," Merlin whispered. Arthur was so shocked he nearly let go of the dagger, and Merlin was quick to drive it back down towards himself. The king recovered quickly even though horror had struck him like a blade of lightning. "Please!" Merlin begged.

Arthur's throat was dry, and fear made his tongue heavy. He could only stare pleadingly at Merlin and continue to fight for the dagger. With a great spasm, Merlin suddenly stopped and Arthur immediately tried to pry the dagger from his thin fingers. It did not budge and Arthur felt himself freeze when he witnessed Merlin's eyes flash with a stuttering fire.

Arthur's blood ran cold and he finally realized that this was no nightmare. It was real. In a sudden movement, Merlin brought the dagger back down, though this time in a different direction. It was like a different dance with reverse steps, but these Arthur was more familiar with. While it was, for some reason, physically easier to keep the dagger away from himself than Merlin, it damn well broke his heart to see his closest friend trying to kill him- even though he was evidently enchanted. "Merlin, fight it!" Arthur barked.

Merlin must have heard him, for his eyes flashed a terrifying gold once more, and Arthur was forced to pull instead of push as the dagger once again reversed direction. "Arthur, let go!" Merlin's voice sounded broken. His breathing turned laboured and his limbs shook.

"No, Merlin, you ca- bloody hell! Guards!" Again, gold filled Merlin's eyes and the blade got so close to Arthur's heart that the king felt the point press against his skin. But the combination of his own strength and Merlin fighting back, the dagger was finally wrested away from him. The next minute was the longest of Arthur's life, and Merlin's eyes blazed more often than the king could count.

The two friends continued to fight, and Arthur feared he was on his own when pounding came from the door and the guards called for him. They could not open it.

"Arthur please, I can't fight it!" Merlin pleaded once more. The king was forced onto his back by Merlin who could no longer direct the dagger in his hands. Arthur was now constantly keeping it away from himself, and the control Merlin lost seemed to add strength to the dark magic.

"Shut up," Arthur seethed. "Guards!"

"Sire!" They called back. The blows upon the door turned up in volume as if they were now trying to break it down.

The dagger was flat against Arthur's chest, and his death only a flick of Merlin's wrist away. They were at a stalemate now.

"Kill- me!" Merlin sobbed. "Please, Arthur -"

"Merlin!" Arthur roared with over bright eyes. "Don't ask me that, don't you dare!"

In an instant, Merlin changed. Gone was his terrified expression as he smirked above Arthur, the dagger a hair's breadth from breaking the king's skin. "I have worked so hard for this," Merlin's voice whispered.

"Merlin, no! Fight it, damn it!" They were both panting, and it was clear that a victor would soon emerge.

There was a shadow of light that flared in Merlin's eyes, so faint that Arthur missed it. But the king looked in alarm at the blood starting to trickle out of Merlin's nose. It dripped onto Arthur's face as they continued to fight. And suddenly, horrifyingly, Arthur no longer had to struggle. He stared confused and out of breath as Merlin's eyes widened. Arthur wrenched the dagger out of Merlin's loose fingers, just before Merlin breathed a whispered apology.

The servant was suddenly falling forward and Arthur hurriedly sat up to catch him. "Merlin! No, no, no, no, no!" Arthur supported Merlin like he did his father all those months ago and the memory chilled him to the core. The servant was rested on Arthur's knees but instead of his father, Merlin was not awake to give any last words.

Had Merlin stabbed himself? Arthur was nearly paralysed in fear at the thought but he peered downward at Merlin's chest and could only stare when no blood blossomed on his white night shirt. The breath he'd trapped inside came out in a rush and he had to work to keep it even.

"Merlin?" he whispered. Arthur changed position so Merlin was supported in his arms and he gave the younger man a gentle shake.

"Sire!" The door had finally burst open and five guards rushed in. They stopped in surprise and regarded the pale king and the unconscious servant in his arms.

"Sound the warning bell," Arthur ordered, his voice unerringly steady. "Go to Sir Leon and tell him there is a sorcerer on the loose. Have him scour every inch of this city." To their credit they did not hesitate for long and they rushed to do as their king ordered.

As soon as they began retreating, Arthur hauled Merlin onto his shoulders and stood up. His face was cleared of the emotions he'd felt and he set a quick pace to the physician's chambers. Arthur was cruelly reminded that he had been forced to carry Merlin exactly like this only a few days before, only this time the servant was not as severely wounded. At least, he hoped Merlin wasn't severely wounded.

The castle halls passed in a blur, even though Arthur felt more than alert. He felt each soft breath of wind and the bite of dampness it held brushing on his exposed skin, he smelled the stone that built Camelot, he heard night itself, and he felt Merlin's weight more keenly than ever.

|o|

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**How was that? I thought of this when I first watched the previews for A Servant of Two Masters but only got around to writing it recently.  
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**I really hope you guys like this and the next chapters will be longer, there's going to be 4 in all. **

**Thank you for reading, and please review :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I still don't own BBC Merlin**

**Wow, I'm kind of overwhelmed at the response! I'm so happy that you all like it so much! Thank you everyone for your amazing reviews!**

**A big huge thank you to Paralelsky for taking the time to beta :)**

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|o|

The warning bells were clanging when Arthur passed through the courtyard, so Gaius was up and alert when the king shoved the door open and entered the physician's chambers with an unconscious Merlin thrown over his shoulders. Gaius was just coming down the steps from Merlin's room with a pinched expression and nearly fell down the stairs at the suddenness of the king's entrance.

"He tried to kill me," Arthur's greeting was hollow. He set Merlin gently down on the patient's cot and motioned impatiently to Gaius. "See if he's alright and find out what the hell is wrong with him."

Arthur stepped aside and frowned as Gaius bustled past him. The old man spoke to him while he checked Merlin's pulse. "Tell me everything," Gaius demanded.

Arthur nodded and took in a breath, but before he started he grabbed a stool to sit on. His shoulders slumped as he explained. "I woke up to Merlin holding a dagger over me," Arthur began and watched Gaius glance at him as he cleaned up the blood from Merlin's nose. "And then all of a sudden he tried to stab himself. I thought I was dreaming." This time Gaius froze in alarm. "I stopped him but it turned into a fight to keep the dagger away from him and then me. It was back and forth." Gaius may have wanted to ask a question but Arthur kept going and talked faster. "His eyes glowed like a sorcerer's, he must be enchanted! But he begged me to kill him, Gaius, he was terrified! He was losing control and I thought- "

"Arthur!" Gaius shouted and then proceeded in a calmer voice as Arthur became still. "Calm down and sit him up."

Arthur nodded and ran a wavering hand over his face. He stood up and did as Gaius asked. He supported Merlin against his arm and watched Gaius as the physician leaned in. "Impossible," he murmured and motioned to the back of Merlin's neck. Arthur leaned forward to see what Gaius was looking at and tensed when he saw a clean laceration over a large bruise on Merlin's skin. But then it moved. Arthur flinched and almost drew back upon realizing that there was something _alive_ under Merlin's skin.

"It's inside him!" Arthur choked out. The king was very close to panicking, but upon looking desperately at Gaius and finding him darkly calm, he regained his senses. "What is it? Can you get it out?"

Gaius looked at him before hurrying to the table and grabbing a black bound book. "It's called a fomorroh," he told Arthur after finding a bookmarked page and showing him. Arthur looked at the illustration of an eleven headed snake and then horrified to the squirming thing under Merlin's skin. "And I have tried to extract it earlier this evening," he frowned, "whoever did this was more powerful than I had considered."

Arthur unknowingly tightened his hands on Merlin's shoulders. To think that someone took advantage of his injured friend. Who knew what Merlin had endured? The only thing that stopped Arthur's anger from boiling over was the door bursting open.

Gwen entered in a flurry of swishing fabric but halted upon seeing the scene that awaited her. "What's going on?" she asked slowly, her dark eyes taking in Arthur and Merlin before regarding Gaius.

The physician grabbed a bowl and a small blade from the table. "The fomorroh grew back and Merlin tried to kill Arthur," he informed her.

"But how?" Gwen said aghast.

Arthur's eyebrows rose. "You knew?"

She bit her lip and strode over to him. "He was acting strangely today. Gaius and I had to stop him."

Arthur nodded upon recalling how odd the two had been acting. He cleared his throat in embarrassment when he remembered that Gwen had seen him naked.

Gaius came over and handed the blade to Gwen while he loomed over Merlin, dabbing a small poultice over the fomorroh. "But what is it?" Arthur asked again.

Gwen answered for Gaius since the physician was diverting his attention to Merlin. "Powerful sorceresses used to use them. They plant it in their victim with one task for them to do, and they can't stop until they've done it." She looked to Gaius who nodded.

"His mind is not his own," the physician added.

Arthur stared at the now still fomorroh under Merlin's skin. "Then how did he fight it? He nearly killed himself in an effort to keep me from harm."

Gwen gasped and looked at Gaius in time with Arthur. The physician shook his head. "I could not say. Fomorrohs are supposed to completely enslave the mind. Would you lay him on his stomach please?"

Arthur took in what Gaius said and laid Merlin down before stepping back to give the old man room. "He always did have a hard head," Arthur said quietly.

Gwen handed Gaius the knife and Arthur rocked forward but did not stop the physician as he lifted the blade, using it to reopen Merlin's wound. Arthur winced but forced himself to not look away, because he owed Merlin at least that much. He was tempted to, especially when Gwen took a cloth and wiped the remnants of Merlin's nosebleed off Arthur's face_. _The king took her hand when she was done and held it tightly.

"Won't it just grow back?" Arthur asked.

Gaius nodded as he lifted a small snake from Merlin's neck. Arthur did not quite manage to clear his face of disgust. Gwen surged forward and held a cloth to Merlin's now bleeding neck. When Gaius threw the snake in the fire, the king felt a moment of relief.

"I believe it will, but it is far better to have it out momentarily so Merlin can regain his strength. You can see the toll that was placed on him from fighting the fomorroh."

Arthur nodded and studied the side of Merlin's face that he could see. There was a sheen of cold sweat on the servant's pale skin and he looked exhausted even while sleeping. Arthur's eyes narrowed- he was utterly sick of his friend coming to harm.

"How do we kill it then?" Arthur asked, unaware that his voice had turned cold and dangerous. Beside him, Gwen hooked her arm under his own and Arthur put his other hand on her shoulder to reassure her.

Gaius sat down beside Merlin and checked the dressing Gwen had placed on his neck before answering. "We must kill the mother beast," he said slowly.

"And I assume the sorcerer has it," Arthur bit out. He broke away from Gwen and started to pace.

The former maidservant bit her lip. "How on earth are we going to find it?"

Before Gaius could think out loud, Arthur stopped abruptly. He looked at them with gleaming blue eyes. "The sorcerer has to be somewhere around where we found Merlin, towards the Valley of the Fallen Kings."

"The forest is vast, Arthur, and a patrol is hardly discreet," Gaius frowned.

"Then I'll go alone," Arthur countered and began pacing again.

"Arthur," Gwen scolded.

"And if you manage to find it, you will have to face a very powerful sorcerer who wants you dead," Gaius said flatly.

The king stopped moving and stared at Gaius. "The sorcerer, do you think they've allied themselves with the traitor?"

The physician's white brows furrowed. "...I believe it would be too much of a coincidence if they did not."

Arthur looked away from Gaius and Guinevere to Merlin so he could think. If he were to believe Agravaine in thinking that the traitor was Gaius, he would have to believe that Gaius would want Merlin to come to harm. Arthur flicked his gaze up to see concern lurking behind Gaius' eyes and wrinkles appear where he did not notice them before. No, Merlin meant the world to Gaius and the physician would never let his ward continue to suffer.

"Arthur?" Gwen called softly but the king was too lost in his thoughts to hear. His light eyes darkened as one chilling idea entered his mind and would not leave. The only viable option for the identity of the traitor was Agravaine. He had known of their route, and he had pointed the finger at Gaius. Arthur looked at Merlin. Agravaine was the one to find the part of Merlin's jacket, and had been so quick to write Merlin off. Arthur quickly scrambled for reason to cool the fiery roar of anger bursting in his chest. Agravaine had seemed genuinely offended when Arthur confronted him earlier, so earnest in his promise that he was loyal to Arthur. Could he be that good of an actor? No, Arthur did not think so. But sickly doubt leeched confidence in his uncle. He had no proof other than Agravaine was the only one who had known the route Arthur was planning to take.

Gwen saved him from thinking more on it by bringing up the matter at hand. "Perhaps when Merlin wakes up he can describe where he was?"

Arthur looked up at her voice to see her speaking to Gaius, and Arthur surprised them both by speaking suddenly. "Then wake him now," he insisted to the physician.

Gaius shook his head. "I fear that it could do more harm than good. He needs rest."

"But won't that thing just grow back?" Gwen asked in a low voice.

When Gaius said nothing, Arthur's features grew dark. "You just plan to keep cutting him open?"

"Until you can find the mother beast, I have no choice." Ruthless words, if not for the emotion in them.

"But we have no idea where to start! Merlin can help us!" Arthur appealed. "Don't you want to help him?"

"Of course I do!" Gaius shouted and looked unrepentant for doing so. "I guarantee you that he will not be in any state to help, Arthur. I don't think you realize the amount of effort to takes to resist the fomorroh. It was thought to be impossible until now!"

Arthur fell quiet at this and pressed his lips together. He was now absolutely positive Gaius wasn't the traitor but they still needed to find this mother beast, and fast. The king strode to the table and thumped his fists upon it, thinking furiously.

They were in silence until Guinevere broke it softly. "Well...what if you send knights toward Caerleon, Arthur? Under the guise of them patrolling our side of the border? But then have them double back at the same time another leaves from here. Hopefully you will be able cut off the sorcerer's attempt to escape and not alert the traitor."

Arthur turned around and stared at her. "That will work!" He exclaimed and looked to Gaius for approval. The physician bobbed his head in thought and that was good enough for Arthur. He strode to Guinevere and captured her lips in a firm kiss. "You're brilliant," Arthur told her.

A flush was growing on her face and she gave a small laugh. Arthur smiled at her before striding suddenly to the exit. "I'll see to it straight away and have them leave at first light. And Gaius-" He stopped before the door to regard the physician and paused. His eyes fell on Merlin and then he shared an understanding nod with the old man. The king left and shut the door behind him.

Arthur went to his room before finding Sir Leon, to change into tomorrow's clothes for he would not be sleeping the rest of the night. Arthur bypassed the garments the enchanted Merlin had placed upon the dressing screen and delved into his closet for something else. He felt as if he should have been changing into armour as he planned his course of action.

|o|

The next afternoon, Arthur had made his plans and there was nothing left to do. He was left to wait in the physician's chambers for Merlin to wake up. The servant remained sleeping deeply on the patient's cot and had not stirred even when the king and Gwaine had turned him over and tied him down. The long haired knight had protested most loudly when they had wound a restraint around Merlin's arms to the bed underneath, but Arthur had doubted anyone had detested it more than him. But no one wanted a murderous Merlin when he woke up.

From where he was pacing beside Merlin's bed, Arthur watched Gwaine who was prowling agitatedly around the whole chambers. The knight could not wait until they set off to look for the sorcerer and kept sending anxious and protective glances toward Merlin. Arthur knew that if they had a location, Gwaine would have not hesitated- and he would have been leading the knight. Arthur could not discount the prospect of them going for the sorcerer themselves if Merlin remembered where exactly it was. But he held that information to himself. Perhaps a day's ride away at most- Merlin had not been that far from Camelot when they found him, a mere few hours away even.

"Well, what's going on in that queenly head of yours, your highness?" Gwaine had come over and was smirking at him. Though he was standing still, his foot was tapping an impatient beat on the ground.

"I'm just wondering if Merlin remembers where the sorcerer is," Arthur replied calmly.

"Let's hope he does, I'm tired of waiting." Gwaine glanced down to Merlin and frowned momentarily at finding him still asleep.

Arthur nodded and exchanged a significant glance with the knight who smiled. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped abruptly at viewing a change in their patient. Arthur quickly followed his gaze to Merlin whose brow had pinched together. "Merlin?" The two knights called out and hovered over the servant.

A quiet groan passed through Merlin's lips and his head turned on the pillow as if he were uncomfortable. Gwaine sent a glare to the rope across Merlin's arms and chest but gently placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Merlin, mate, you awake?"

Another groan from Merlin and this one preceded his eyes slowly opening. A grin sprang onto Arthur's face but as Merlin blinked uncomprehendingly at the ceiling he stepped back, suddenly afraid that his presence would awaken the fomorroh if it was not back already. Gwaine looked as if he understood and tried to coax Merlin awake.

"Gwaine?" Merlin mumbled and his voice was weak. Arthur stepped forward despite himself. "Arthur?" Merlin squinted at him. He tried to sit up but was held back by the rope. His eyes became clearer and found Arthur's quickly. "What?...Oh." He closed his eyes in pain.

"Merlin? Are you alright?" Arthur asked, torn between stepping forward or away.

"Head hurts," Merlin slurred and then strained his eyes to look at Arthur. "What's going on? Where's Gaius?"

"He's talking to the council for me," Arthur told him, not that he thought Merlin could understand from the state he was in. Arthur had Gaius inform the council of the patrol to Caerleon so they would assume that the matter was of trivial importance to the king and need not be delivered by Arthur, himself.

"Tell us what you remember," Gwaine interrupted and leaned forward. But Merlin had relaxed and his eyes were closing. "Merlin!" The servant's dull blue eyes fluttered open but started blinking heavily and Gwaine tried again. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Merlin exhaled and did his best to answer. "Snake...Morgana she..."

"Merlin, Merlin!" Arthur called when the servant nodded off. "It was Morgana?" He asked furiously which earned him a half hearted glare from Gwaine. But Merlin was not aware of their surprise for he had fallen asleep once again and neither of their calls roused him.

The king leaned back, gritting his jaw and clenching his fists, taking a moment to calm down. How _dare_ she?

"Arthur?" Gwaine frowned.

The king ignored the knight, just trying to keep his fury from lashing out through his fists- he did not think that Gaius would appreciate the loss of any of his possessions.

The sound of the door opening caused both of them to glare at the door. The physician walked through but stopped when sensing the sudden tension.

"Merlin woke up for a bit," Gwaine told him immediately. His voice was low in the way it became when he was particularly furious.

Gaius then made a beeline to his ward. "Was he himself?"

"Yes," Arthur forced himself to speak because a king did not let anger get in the way of anything, even if it involved a friend, especially so even. "He mentioned Morgana. She was the one who did this." The blue in his eyes blazed vividly.

Gwaine nodded and headed for the door. "I'll meet you in the training field," he called back to Arthur.

Arthur looked after him but then back to Gaius. "He said his head was hurting. He was tired."

Gaius acknowledged him but was focused on hovering over Merlin. When the king was staring down at the floor silently, he regarded him. "Arthur?"

"How far is she going to go, Gaius?" the king whispered. Arthur remembered that Merlin had fancied Morgana for a time. And she was always fond of him. But she was now using Merlin to try and kill Arthur. He had thought of her like a sister- she was his sister. "How could she do this? We were her friends!"

Arthur could not help himself from whirling around and kicking the innocent bucket by his feet. The mop inside hurtled out and the wooden bucket clattered across the floor.

Gaius looked at Arthur with sympathy. "I am sorry, Arthur."

The king shook his head. "It isn't your fault." Arthur sighed and strode for the door but stopped before exiting and turned back to Gaius. "Let us know if he wakes up again." He left after glancing at Merlin one more time.

Gaius hung his head and grabbed Merlin's hand. It did not look like the boy would wake again for a while. He looked at the door Arthur had vacated and sighed, knowing that neither he nor Gwaine would be back for a few hours at least. When one of them wanted to well and truly vent, the other was the only one able to handle the resulting outcome. Gaius had witnessed one such sword fight and he was not ashamed to admit that the clash of swords had been terrifying.

But there was only less than a day left, and tomorrow Arthur would lead a large force of knights against Morgana. He could only hope that the mother beast was found and Merlin would be saved. Gaius sighed and looked at the lone candle burning slowly. He well and truly hated waiting.

|o|

Dawn had not yet arrived over the kingdom, instead settling below the trees and staining the horizon a blushing gold. But the dark clad man galloping towards the forest was much more suited to the cold blue still lingering in the deep sky. Agravaine's pallid face was almost white in the predawn light, clashing against his billowing dark robes. He urged his horse on faster, knowing that he needed to get to Morgana as soon as possible. The beast's hooves thundered across the rough ground and the lord had to slow his pace once he reached the forest. He still had the horse travel dangerously fast for the terrain even though it might trip over the forest floor, and the cramped trees blocked out most of the meager sunlight as it was. But he had a mission.

Not long later, Agravaine directed his horse to the crude trail down a slope and kicked the gelding when it was not ambling fast enough. As soon as the hooves touched the path, Agravaine urged the horse faster. Two hours after dawn, Morgana's destitute hut emerged from behind the trees. He hauled the horse to an abrupt stop and it nickered impatiently at its treatment, but the lord cared not and nearly stumbled in his haste to dismount. Agravaine rushed toward the wooden door and it opened with a piercing squeak, calling out to the sorceress inside.

Morgana heard his calls and had bolted out of her bed, ready to react to a threat. When her cool eyes rested on Agravaine and found him alone trying to catch his breath, they narrowed. "You better have a good reason for waking me at this hour," she hissed. Her sleep had been dreamless instead of haunted by the phantom of Emrys, so whatever Agravaine had to say had better be worth it.

The lord raised his hand as if to appease her but it only served to infuriate her more. Agravaine took in a breath and wiped his forehead of the sweat that had gathered there from the fast ride. "Arthur is riding towards your location with a small army of knights at first light."

Morgana's eyes widened and the silence that bloomed into being was almost painful, making the bearer of bad news cringe. "And how, my dear Agravaine, has he found my location?" Her voice was dangerously soft.

Agravaine slid backward when the sorceress took a menacing step forward. "I do not know- the only explanation is they found the fomorroh" he rushed out, "but I overheard some knights talking this morning. Arthur sent out a patrol to the east two days ago, but they were to circle back and ambush you with another contingent leaving from Camelot."

Morgana quivered with fury. "Merlin has not succeeded in his task then?"

Agravaine shook his head. "No."

"I must leave," she muttered and swiftly went to the back where the shelves bearing the fomorroh were.

The lord appealed to her. "You have nowhere to go. If you listen to my plan, I am certain they will not find you."

Morgana casted a glance to the six headed snake in the jar she was holding before giving her attention back to Agravaine. The dark haired lord swallowed at the fear and awe she inspired in him and his voice was thick with it as he continued. "The prince will not stop until the fomorroh is found, so I propose that we let him find it. I shall make a camp closer to Camelot and place the snake there. Arthur will find it before coming here. You will be safe."

A scowl took the beauty out of Morgana's face as she regarded Agravaine. "And what of the knights at my back? Have you made a plan for them?"

"I have paid a band of mercenaries to deal with them," he answered. "Please, Morgana. We haven't time."

Her slender fingers tightened around the jar in dislike of this situation, and she strode to Agravaine but did not hand the snake over. "I will bring this after you construct the decoy camp, you will likely drop it," she spat. "Hurry so you can hop back to Camelot and join the search."

Agravaine blinked at her. "Yes, my lady."

"If this does not work, there will be no where you can hide," she whispered. Agravaine nodded and could not stop himself from swallowing. "What are you waiting for?"

The lord jumped at her furious tone and quickly scurried for the exit. Morgana sent one last withering glare after him in farewell.

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**This new set up is going to make anonymous review replies confusing but here goes. **

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**Guest- Ya I really liked the episode but I think a lot of it's potential was lost. But that's what fanfiction is for :) Thanks for reviewing!**

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**Guest- Thanks! I'm happy you liked it :)**

**Guest- Aw thank you! For the nosebleed, I just wanted a symptom of the strain Merlin using his magic like that would cause. And I figure it would add some more drama lol. Thanks for reviewing :)**

**Guest- It was, wasn't it :) Heh well it was all Arthur's POV this time so I hope you enjoyed it just as much! Thank you for the review!**

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**Guest- Well I am working on a longer story. Writing it is slow going though - .-' But I'm glad you liked this! Thank you for reviewing :)**

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**I know not much happened in this chapter but it was necessary! Hopefully I made you all excited for the next one though :)**

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	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own BBC Merlin.**

**A big huge thank you to Paralelsky for taking the time to beta :)**

**Enjoy!**

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|o|

Unbeknownst to Morgana and Agravaine, a threat to their plan had awoken only a few hours before they were making it. The ceiling of the physician's chambers swam in Merlin's vision as the warlock slowly opened his eyes. He heard the comforting sound of Gaius working stutter to a halt as the physician's sixth sense told him something had changed. Awareness began to flutter in when Gaius was suddenly above him calling his name. The volume was an assault to Merlin's severe headache and he groaned. He tried to sit up but was stopped by a thick band across his chest. The warlock looked down to see a line of rope strapped across him. "Gaius?" Merlin squinted at the physician in confusion.

"How are you feeling, Merlin?" Gaius asked gently and laid a cool hand across Merlin's forehead. Merlin closed his eyes in small relief but opened them in alarm when the physician did not start untying him.

"What's going on?" He demanded, "Gaius, what is this?"

Seeing his ward beginning to get scared, Gaius quickly provided answers. "You tried to kill Arthur. We believe that Morgana enchanted you." He wanted to ask more questions, but knew that if Merlin was himself, he would need time to process the information.

The warlock blinked slowly and his mouth gaped open. Before he could ask further questions, however, his eyes darkened. His face became drawn and then horrified. "I didn't, did I? Arthur is alright?"

"Yes, yes, he's fine. You managed to fight the fomorroh," Gaius was quick to say. He smiled and finally began to untie Merlin. "Now, what is the last thing you remember?"

Merlin waited until the rope was gone and he was sitting up to answer. He cupped his head with his hands and winced at his raging migraine. "...I remember Morgana conjuring the snake. And then...nothing more. I fought it?"

"You did. And gave Arthur the fright of his life."

"Did I kill it then? The only thing I feel now is a headache, not an urge to kill Arthur," Merlin told him.

Gaius smiled and left him momentarily to grab a potion and a glass of water that were sitting on the table. He offered them to Merlin who took it without complaint, downing the yellow liquid inside with one swallow. Merlin made a noise of disgust before drinking the water while Gaius answered him.

"No, unfortunately not. The serpent is only dormant and when it wakes, your mind will be Morgana's once more. Nothing will stop you from killing Arthur."

Merlin grimaced at the news. "How long have I got? How long before this thing wakes up?" He tried to rub at his sore neck but recoiled upon touching the bandage there when it _hurt_.

"A day, no more. And I am sorry, but I had to cut the snake out four times now. I am afraid it will scar." Gaius' light eyes glittered guiltily.

Merlin nodded but stopped before his headache could get worse. The remedy Gaius had given him helped and it no longer felt like he would throw up. He was still tired enough that he could sleep for days though. "Then how do we get rid of it if it keeps growing back?" Merlin's hand hovered over his neck again.

"There is only one way I'm afraid. You have to kill the mother beast."

"The creature that lives in Morgana's hut?" Merlin frowned.

"Yes. Arthur is going to retrieve it at first light," Gaius said bracingly.

Merlin jumped up immediately and he shouted even though his vision went black, the world was spinning, and his legs were weak. "What?"

Gaius moved quicker than one his age would be expected to steady Merlin. "You needn't worry, he is bringing a whole contingent of knights with him, and there is another coming from behind."

"I can't let Arthur take her on alone," Merlin said fervently, ignoring everything else in his worry for his friend.

"He will not be alone! He will have his knights," Gaius' voice rose, in response to the futility of this argument.

"And you want me to trust that? Sorry, Gaius, I'm going."

"You are exhausted, Merlin," the physician groused, "in no shape to take on Morgana."

The resolve in Merlin's ocean blue eyes did not waver one bit. "She'll be preoccupied with the knights knocking on her door, I'll be eighty years old anyway, she won't know it's me."

Gaius vehemently shook his head. "Arthur and his men are going to surround Morgana's hut, if they see you they will kill you on sight. To go there now would be suicide."

Merlin blinked and parted from Gaius to search the contents of the nearest work table. "Well I can't go as myself. It's a risk either way."

"Merlin," Gaius warned.

"Sorry," Merlin apologized unrepentant. In his hands was the rounded vial containing the potion to age himself.

The physician sighed and reached into the pockets of his green robe. "Then take this, it will clear your exhaustion for awhile."

Merlin smiled indulgently. "I'm not falling for that, Gaius." He quickly strode around the physician before a protest was launched. "I'll see you later!" He slammed the door shut in an effort to keep Gaius away but he heard the old man open the door.

"Be careful, Merlin!"

Merlin looked over his shoulder and grinned confidently. When Gaius only frowned worriedly, the warlock looked ahead. He turned around the corner and let the smile drop from his face. He was not nearly as assured as he let on, and Gaius knew it.

Merlin was tired with a distracting headache and limbs that were not quite yet ready to be put to use. But nothing so minor had ever stopped him from doing what needed to be done. Merlin nodded to himself and clutched the potion in his fist, choosing to go to the stables before he turned himself into an old man. If he felt old now, he certainly did not want to spend any unnecessary time actually older. It was only a little before dawn when Merlin retrieved his usual horse so he hoped that Arthur would not leave earlier than first light. Merlin may have known where he was going, but he knew that he was cutting it awfully close.

His horse was unsurprisingly tolerant as Merlin hung on for dear life rather than ride, a process made difficult by the lack of a saddle which he had had no time to grab. So the mare was no doubt relieved when the warlock brought her to a halt when they were well into the forest. If Merlin had not been so tired he would not have had to stop. A wave of dizziness accosted him after his horse traversed a slight slope causing him to nearly fall off. The edges of the trees and leaves softened and everything wobbled precariously. He had to tighten his grip on the reins to stay aloft. Merlin blew a steady breath through his lips and shut his eyes while his horse waited patiently. They were stopped before the trail that led to Morgana's hovel- well, trail was a generous term. It was overgrown with vines and roots but was smoother than the rest of the forest floor around it.

When the forest stopped spinning Merlin glanced upward through the canopy of leaves at the morning sky above. Dawn had arrived, and by now Arthur would be assembling the knights to head out. Just as Merlin gave his horse a light kick, he heard familiar steps stalk towards him from down the path. His eyes widened and he vaulted off his horse, hurriedly leading it to hide in the trees. It trotted along beside him as he dragged it next to a moss covered boulder hiding behind a cluster of full bushes. The expended effort had made him dizzy again, and he had to lean on his horse until he could see properly. He heard Morgana before he saw her, the sorceress's steps loud and unaware.

His lips thinned when she came into view and his eyes narrowed when he saw the jar in Morgana's hands. Merlin could not see inside it but knew it was the fomorroh. His neck gave a particularly burning throb where Gaius had cut the snake out. Morgana's black dress was fluttering behind her as she stomped down the path, contrasting with her porcelain skin. Seeing her in the filtered green daylight of the forest seemed out of place to Merlin, for he thought that darkness of every kind suited the witch more.

Knowing that this was his best chance, Merlin quickly downed the aging potion. Heat surged in his body and he closed his eyes against the odd but not unpleasant sensation. When he opened them shortly after, fatigue made his back stoop more than it usually would. Merlin realized that he had forgotten Gaius' old robe when his night shirt hung off him. Wasting no time, he quickly used magic to alter his clothes into a robe of Pendragon red. His now wrinkly hand pushed against the horse's flank as he left it behind. Morgana was a mere twenty feet away from him when he broke through the trees.

The witch's eyes immediately flew toward the movement but then widened in terror. Merlin was momentarily stumped at the reaction but snapped out of it when the jar slipped from Morgana's fingers. It bounced off the ground with a dull thud and rolled off the ragged trail. "Emrys!" She took a step back.

Merlin's eyes narrowed, causing Morgana to draw in a breath. He almost felt bad at the fear that masked her face. "You're not real," she hoped aloud. Merlin just eyed the jar holding the fomorroh and back at Morgana when she began making tentative steps forward. "You're just my imagination."

"Whatever you say," he growled, "just kindly step away from that there." He jerked his head down to the fomorroh. Morgana's brow creased in confusion but then anger. She then jerked a dagger out of her belt which prompted Merlin to throw out his hand and strike her with magic. A strong gust of wind knocked Morgana off her feet and she crashed several feet backward and rebounded off the ground.

Merlin then turned his eyes to the fomorroh and he used magic to fling it into his outstretched hand. As soon as he caught it, he turned on his heel and hurried back the way he came but the sudden change in direction caused his aching head to spin. He was losing his balance as Morgana shouted out behind him. _"Ablinn ðu, forlæte ðu!" _

A powerful force careened into his back and threw him forwards. The ground rushed to meet him and he hit it with a force that shook his old bones and knocked the jar out of his hands. He gave a pained shout and the air rushed out of him harshly.

Behind him, Morgana let out a relieved laugh. She trudged through the leaves closer to him, brandishing her dagger. Merlin turned his head to see two of her standing over him. "So, Emrys, it seems you'll not be my doom after all."

The witch raised her dagger so Merlin lashed out with a spell. "_Forþ fleoge!" _he croaked.

Morgana screamed as she was sent rocketing back to the forest floor. Both magic users lay stunned on the ground but Merlin rose off of it first. His head was now ringing but he was no longer seeing double as he made his way slowly to Morgana. Merlin stood over her and held out a weathered hand, ready to cast magic.

She must have been scared but her pale face showed none of it as she stared up at him. "If I'm to die by your hand, you can at least tell me who you are. Did Arthur send you?"

Merlin just stared down at her, a sadness growing in his eyes. She was his friend once. "But you're no friend of his," Morgana carried on, "magic has no place in Camelot. It never will. Not until I take the throne."

Merlin remained silent, hoping against hope that she was wrong. She had a hopeless battle since both destiny and Emrys were against her. He looked on as Morgana started speaking again. "Please spare me. I only want what is rightfully mine." His sapphire eyes darkened at the statement but his intended defence of King Arthur was interrupted by the witch at his feet. "Perhaps it could still be so!" She flung her hand out and the dagger that she had let go earlier came hurtling towards Merlin who was forced to dodge backward.

Morgana then took her chance to attack. Her eyes flashed a bloody gold and with a flick of her head, she shoved Merlin's old body to the side. He soared through the air and landed roughly amongst the leaves which surged upward upon his impact. Merlin's breath was stolen and he was left gasping in pain while Morgana grabbed the fomorroh and retreated.

A thundering drumbeat resounded inside his skull and he stared almost vacantly at Morgana's back. He forced his eyes not to close from exhaustion and he spoke through the pain making his voice hoarse. "_Ic her aciege anne windræs!_" The leaves on the ground began stirring as wisps of wind started to circle in front of him. Concentrating on the magic forced Merlin's now horrible migraine to be tossed aside and he started to get up off the cold ground. "_Færblæd wawe! Windræs ungetermed - ge hiere!_"

The wind he was conjuring picked up in speed and strength, reaching Morgana and causing her to turn around. Her eyes widened when she saw a whirlwind begin to take shape in front of the wizened old sorcerer who was now on his feet. His voice grew stronger and terrifying. "_Ic ðe bebiede mid ealle strangnesse ðæt ðu geblæwest ond sierest strange! Ge spurne þeos hægtesse!" _

Morgana could do nothing to stop the advancing cyclone and Merlin watched as it flung her through the air as though she was a straw rag doll. She was unconscious by the time she hit the ground and Merlin breathed a sigh of relief and pain. He collapsed to his knees as his head gave a massive throb. Suddenly, the ground was holding him up and he wondered why that might be. Slowly, his eyelids fluttered closed.

Just as he was about to drift into unconsciousness, the back of his neck set aflame. He cried out in a voice he did not recognize and then remembered what he set out to do. With great force of will, he hauled himself onto his knees and waited for the forest to slide back into focus. Merlin's breathing was laboured and he knew that he could go no further. Not in this form. He cast a wary glance to the motionless form that was Morgana and whispered an incantation upon finding her still out cold. Any remorse he had felt was felled by the bruises that throbbed while being sixty years younger again. He grunted as he lifted himself off the ground.

Merlin's vision twisted and twirled once again and he blinked heavily at where the sound of walking hooves was coming from. He found a grin as he recognized his horse ambling through the leaves to get to him. The mare nuzzled his hair and Merlin's fingers found her mane. He used her as a support so he could walk to where the fomorroh had landed during the fight. It took ten minutes to get to it when it should have taken less than one. When he went through the process of bending down to get it, the drum inside his head beat especially hard causing him to clamp his eyes shut. But before he did so, he noticed that he was still wearing the crimson robe which was actually uncomfortably tight. Merlin muttered a spell to get his old clothes back and then turned around. Luckily the dark mare seemed to anticipate his actions and Merlin let her be his eyes as he picked the direction. His head was bowed to the floor but he could not bring himself to raise it even when the laceration was pulled taut.

Merlin's horse gave a whinny and he wished that he could climb up right now, but his head and his now utterly exhausted body barely allowed him to put one step in front of the other. He was breathing heavily by the time his guide stopped but he felt marginally better. Merlin looked up to find himself in a small, makeshift camp. It was not on the trail and was nestled in an alcove of mossy trees against an ivied rock edifice. An empty cook pot was stationed over a dead fire and there was a hastily gathered pile of kindling sitting by a half constructed rabbit snare. Merlin studied the black fabric hanging from the trees and quickly deducted that no one was here.

He sighed and thanked his horse, asking her to lead him just a little bit more. Her ears pricked toward the sound of his voice but she obviously did not understand. It took a tug from Merlin to get her walking again and she took him toward the fire pit. The warlock ungracefully fell to the ground and looked toward it. His eyes gleamed golden and the blackened wood that was left in the shallowly dug pit caught on fire. Merlin spied the nonsensical sigils etched into the small boulders facing north but quickly dismissed them by lack of caring. The horse watched as Merlin's fumbling fingers peeled off the jar's lid. As soon as he threw it off, the snakes inside hissed and spat at him. But Merlin just calmly expelled them into the fire which flared up as they landed in the embers. The jar fell from his hands and he tiredly began the incantation to rid him of the fomorroh for good. "_Ontende þisne wyrm þæt he licgeþ unastyred a butan ende_!"

Instantly the serpent beneath his skin writhed painfully before falling still. Merlin breathed out a sigh of relief and fell back against the rock wall behind him with a small smile on his face.

|o|

The sun had been in the sky for three hours now and there was predictably no sign of Morgana's encampment. A contingent of armoured knights silently stalked through the woods, ghosting past the furnishings of the forest. Their boots treaded softly over the ground, avoiding dry leaves and brittle twigs when possible. At their head led the king of Camelot, a blonde broad shouldered man with the face of a king. Behind him four of his best knights, and glaringly missing was Arthur's servant. Gwaine took a moment to glare at Lord Agravaine who was in Merlin's spot, directly behind Arthur.

Neither Percival or Elyan were happy about it either, nor was Leon. But what surprised Gwaine, as they made their way searchingly through the trees, was that Arthur seemed to mind it the most. Agravaine clearly did not notice the way the king's shoulders would tense when he got too close or the warning lighting his cerulean eyes when they flashed behind at the lord. If Arthur no longer held Agravaine in esteem, Gwaine certainly did not, he only wondered why that might be.

It lingered in the back of his mind as he searched the forest for clues along with the others but his primary focus now was finding the blasted snake that was entrapping his friend's mind. Gwaine's jaw tightened upon remembering Gaius cut the fomorroh out of Merlin's neck early this morning three hours before dawn. He could not sleep past midnight so he had occupied the time in the physician's chambers by keeping watch over his sleeping friend. Gaius had been grateful and took the chance to get some rest. Gwaine had only left after the physician woke and extracted the awakened serpent out of an unresponsive Merlin. Needless to say Gwaine had been the first one that reported to Arthur.

"Your Majesty," Agravaine called softly, catering the attention of those who heard him. The lord stopped so Arthur was forced to halt as well. He did not turn around right away but when he did, his features were stony and bearing a striking resemblance to his father.

Agravaine offered a kind smile and then gestured to the trees. "The forest widens here, perhaps we should split into six groups," he suggested quietly, "each led by your highness, myself, and your knights." His onyx eyes landed on Leon, Gwaine, Percival and Elyan.

Gwaine frowned. He could read mistrust on the lines around Arthur's eyes and the way his jaw was set, never mind how his blue eyes hardened like steel. None of the other knights noticed except Elyan who was now studying Agravaine. But then Percival noticed the sudden tension along Gwaine's and Elyan's features and he too caught on to the fact that something was not quite right between the king and his uncle. Gwaine would have looked to Leon for answers but the other knight was wearing a blank face which told Gwaine that he too noticed something amiss.

"Five groups," Arthur corrected. "Gwaine, go with Lord Agravaine."

Gwaine's eye brows raised a fraction but he nodded without question. He wondered what the lord would think about Arthur sending his best knight along with him but Agravaine's smile only became a little false when he acknowledged him.

Percival, Elyan, and Leon exchanged furtive glances with each other at the king's decision but quickly moved to head their searches when Arthur looked at them. As Gwaine past Arthur, the king imparted an almost inaudible message. "Keep an eye on him."

Gwaine did not react but allowed his eyes to darken when he had past Agravaine and silently ordered his portion of the knights to follow. Arthur's mistrust seemed more severe than Gwaine had first suspected and looked to be outright suspicion. When they moved north, Gwaine called the knights' attention. The large group stopped and regarded him respectfully. Some members of the council may not have accepted him and the peasant knights, but most of his brothers in arms had come to admire him -especially since the only one able to beat him in a duel was the king. And Gwaine never let Leon, Percival, or Elyan forget it. In his well thought out opinion, he knew that the only reason why he was not first knight was that Sir Leon had a much more level head on his shoulders, but he was actually grateful for the fact since he cared not for the extra duties that it would entail.

"You all know that the witch is dangerous, so keep yourselves on guard" he began, keeping his voice quiet and letting the knights pass on his words to those behind. "Fan out into pairs, we'll cover more ground that way. And if you do see her, show no mercy for she will certainly show none."

His reminder was not needed since all here knew how dangerous Morgana Pendragon could be. But a great many held fear for the witch so he issued orders to remind them that they were knights of Camelot. A wry smirk formed on his lips- Queen Arthur might have been proud.

Gwaine waited for Agravaine to catch up and he addressed the lord in the same commanding tone he used with the knights. "You are with me." He loped passed the lord, giving him no choice but to follow. Gwaine suddenly looked back at him to see a scowl on Agravaine's face so he primly raised an eyebrow. The lord successfully changed his expression into a neutral one and that only added fuel to Gwaine's suspicions. But he dismissed the lord for now to scan his surroundings and they looked silently for any tracks.

He was tempted to make small talk when the silence became especially annoying but he stilled upon noticing a disturbed patch of foliage to his right. Gwaine signalled Agravaine and then led the way with his fingers wrapped around the hilt of his sword. Their feet were soundless as they stalked the trail and eventually they came to a small outcropping. He frowned and edged forward slowly, his russet eyes flicking back and forth. Gwaine's shoulders lowered when he noticed a patch of fur stuck on the rough bark of the tree next to him and he nearly groaned when he brushed it with his fingers. The trail he had been following was one made by a herd of deer and he cursed himself for not realizing sooner. His eagerness for catching Morgana was making him clumsy. He turned back to berate Agravaine for not noticing the same thing only to find that the lord was nowhere in sight.

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**I got the spells from the Merlin wikia (the transcript link to the episode) so I don't know exactly what they mean. :( But now I can't go to the wikia anymore cause it is rife with spoilers! I must resist.**

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**Thanks for reading guys, I hope you liked the chapter :)  
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**I'd be very happy to know what everyone thought, please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Dislcaimer: Hello folks, I do not own BBC Merlin in any universe. Well maybe in some alternate one but we will never know! Lol I find myself amusing. **

**One last thank you to Paralelsky for taking the time to beta :) Thank you, thank you, thank you!**

**Enjoy the last chapter :D**

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Gwaine swore and doubled back the way he came, cursing himself once more. He didn't make it more than five steps when Agravaine's voice called out to him. "Sir Gwaine!"

Gwaine's head snapped to the side and he started running toward the lord's shout, heedless of the stray branches catching on his flowing cape and hair. He burst through the trees with stealth and surprised the lord who was standing before a make shift camp. Gwaine glared at him and was going to demand an explanation before his eyes caught on a familiar figure. Merlin was slumped against a tall ivied outcropping at his back, looking warily at Agravaine through his half open eyes.

"Merlin!" Gwaine yelled and ran toward the servant who blinked slowly at him. The horse grazing in the tall grass looked up at his presence but deemed him less than interesting and returned to eating. Merlin did not move except to smile at him when Gwaine slid onto his knees in front of the servant. "Are you alright?" The knight demanded while scanning Merlin's features. He was paler than usual, almost ashen with clouded dark eyes and slightly quivering limbs.

Gwaine's worry was assuaged a little when Merlin's smile did not fade and he assessed it to be genuine.

"Fomorroh is gone," Merlin breathed. The sound of his voice caused Gwaine to become much more anxious because it was thin and fragile, so unlike Merlin's usual strong and lively timbre.

"This must be the sorceress' camp. Though I am surprised he got here in this condition," Agravaine mused from behind him. Merlin eyed Agravaine and Gwaine could have sworn his friend's lips turned downward, but then Merlin's head flopped forward onto his chest and stayed there.

Gwaine ignored the lord for now, in order to give Merlin a gentle shake. "Merlin!" Gwaine called worriedly. The servant let out a quiet groan, but did not move when Gwaine drew him away from the rock at his back. The knight frowned when he saw that Merlin did not seem able to support his own weight.

"Couldn't let us be, could you, mate?" Gwaine sighed but had to smile as Merlin gave a miniscule shake of his head. As the knight wincingly peeled back the dressing over Merlin's neck, Agravaine grabbed the horn around his belt and blew a single blast, telling the rest of the knights that the camp had been found and then another to tell them that Morgana was absent.

The lord then went to Merlin's horse and led it over the two men. "We should depart at once. I will help you get Merlin up."

"Thank you," Gwaine told him gratefully after replacing the bandage over Merlin's neck. He gave a satisfied smile and pulled one of Merlin's arms over his shoulders so he could get the servant up. Gwaine stood and could not resist a worried frown when Merlin remained limp at his side. As he half dragged Merlin the short distance to the horse, the warlock seemed to find some strength and by the time Gwaine stopped Merlin's feet were planted on the ground though his head was still bowed.

"Alright, up you get," Gwaine coaxed and secured his hold on Merlin. Agravaine helped him and between the two of them, they sat Merlin on his blessedly still horse. The effort caused Merlin's breath to come in arduous huffs, but the warlock determinedly held his heavily slumped torso up.

"Good man," Agravaine smiled and patted Merlin lightly on the shoulder before turning around. Merlin gave a flinch Gwaine attributed to the servant feeling weak and he sent a glare at Agravaine for being so rough with his friend.

Gwaine led the horse after him and kept one hand ready and waiting to catch Merlin should he fall. It seemed as if any moment Merlin would collapse and his silence was greatly disturbing Gwaine whose brow was furrowed worriedly. "Merlin, I need to know if you're alright," Gwaine implored.

Merlin must have heard the fear in Gwaine's voice for the servant mustered up the strength to answer. He mumbled two words which Gwaine took to mean, 'just tired.' The knight then patted his knee but remained troubled, knowing that Merlin was never completely honest about these things. He talked to Merlin to keep the younger man awake and was disappointed when all Merlin would do in response was bob his head to keep it from lolling to the side.

Distraction came moments later when Gwaine heard his fellow knights running through the trees ahead. It was not long after when Arthur burst through the foliage with his group of knights following. He scanned them and his eyes widened when they centered on Merlin.

"Merlin?" Arthur stared.

Gwaine changed direction to lead the horse to Arthur. "Agravaine found him. The camp was empty though, probably for the best since Merlin here got to the fomorroh before we did."

Arthur's lips thinned and he glanced toward Agravaine before striding forward. "What's wrong with him?"

Merlin had not moved an inch even when hearing Arthur's voice. Gwaine looked to see that Merlin's eyes were open only a fraction and not aware. "I _think_ he's fine. The fomorroh is still there but not moving."

Arthur stopped when he was beside Merlin's horse and he stared up at the servant. "Merlin," he called. Merlin's head swayed in Arthur's direction and the king caught a sliver of blue as Merlin glanced at him. Arthur had to bring his hand up to stop Merlin from tilting off the side of the horse. "Why is he like this? And why the hell was he at Morgana's camp?" Since it was clear that Merlin would be offering no explanations, Arthur spoke to Gwaine and Agravaine.

"It seems he destroyed the fomorroh himself, Sire," said Agravaine, "the camp was empty when we arrived and there were no signs of struggle if that is what you are concerned about."

Gwaine nodded when Arthur looked to him. "Merlin must have woken up after I left him. You know what he's like." Gwaine and Arthur frowned at an oblivious Merlin.

Arthur placed his hands on his hips and if he were not the king, it would have looked like he had been worried. "Unfortunately I do. Get him back to Camelot, Gwaine."

"I thought you'd never ask," the knight said lightly and then swiftly climbed onto the horse behind Merlin. He grabbed the reins which were the only piece of equipment Merlin managed to put on with one hand and used the other to steady the unmoving servant. It was a great deal harder to ride bareback while supporting another rider but Gwaine managed to make it look easy as he had the horse canter through the trees and back to Camelot.

Arthur schooled his expression watching them go and he sincerely hoped that the state Merlin was in only had to do with exhaustion and not dark magic. He then turned toward his knights and ordered them to move ahead and look for Morgana. They departed at once, leaving Arthur alone with his uncle. "You found the camp?" Arthur wanted to clarify.

"I did, Sire," Agravaine replied. "I can lead you there if you wish."

Arthur nodded and motioned for the lord to lead the way. Agravaine smiled at him and moved forward, picking his way past the trees to arrive at an otherwise difficult to find location. The king moved forward and scoured the crude camp, observing the way it was hidden against the rocks and trees and the bare minimum it contained. It brought him no amusement to imagine Morgana hurriedly gathering her things to escape.

He sighed and turned to Agravaine. "I must thank you, Uncle. This place would have taken a while to find even with my knights."

Agravaine brushed his hand through the air. "I merely did what I could, Arthur. The thing that worries me is that the sorceress was so close to Camelot. Surely a patrol should have spotted her."

Arthur was wondering about that as well and cast his grave eyes to the boulders facing north. He decided to bring Gaius here to see if the magical symbols carved on the rocks played a part in her concealment. Agravaine followed his gaze and gave a thoughtful hum. "Perhaps Gaius can tell us about those symbols, Sire," the lord spoke aloud Arthur's thoughts.

The king blinked and replied mechanically as he thought. "Yes, that was what I was thinking as well."

If Agravaine was the traitor, why on earth would he point that out? And why would he willingly find the hideout of his ally? There was still the issue of Morgana obviously being tipped off, but Arthur was no longer sure it was by his uncle. Gwaine did not seem suspicious of him when Arthur found them, yet the knight was known to not think clearly when his friends were in danger, especially when it was Merlin.

Arthur smiled and shook his head, pushing his reservations about Agravaine aside for now. "You have been a great help, Uncle. I am grateful to you." The lord had indeed been a help and Arthur could not discount that. A great weight had left his shoulders now that he was certain that his uncle was not a traitor.

Agravaine smiled warmly at him. "I am glad to have been of service."

Arthur returned the smile and then looked around the camp for more clues. It was Agravaine who spotted the broken twigs and the beginnings of a trail that must have been Morgana's. "Surely she can't have gone far, Sire," he stated calmly despite the panic that made his palms sweat, "would it not be prudent to join the knights in the search?" He walked to Arthur and away from the incriminating tracks.

Arthur straightened from examining an empty jar and sighed. "You are right of course. Let us go." The king led the way through the trees and did not see the relieved smile that flashed across his deceitful uncle's face.

The search lasted until dusk and bore no sign of Morgana. Arthur led his men back to Camelot and the setting sun glinted off their armour as they trooped past the drawbridge. The sparse clouds above were dark and sat staunchly in the hazy vermillion sky - Arthur gave them a passing glance before he went through the gate. The white stone of the castle shone against the receding daylight like it always did at this time, giving Arthur comfort at seeing his home. As he walked into the courtyard with Leon, Percival, Elyan and Agravaine at his heels, he issued orders to them without looking back.

"Leon, I would like you to assist Agravaine in organizing more patrols. We need to find Morgana now while she is vulnerable."

"Yes, Sire," they answered and walked together towards the council chambers. If Leon appeared guarded with the lord only Elyan and Percival noticed.

Arthur spared them a fleeting look before turning back to the two knights. "I need you two to send letters to our outposts alerting them of the situation. I want patrols to be sent out from there."

"Yes, Sire," Elyan said and waited for Percival who hesitated.

"Understood, my lord," the tall knight affirmed. "Will you be checking on Merlin now?" Both of them had been somewhat distracted in the search after Arthur had informed them of Merlin's role in it.

"Of course, I need to see if he has any information to offer after all."

"Of course," Elyan remarked with a grin.

Arthur smirked at them before heading off to the physician's chambers to see how his friend was doing.

|o|

"Good morning, Gaius, is your good for nothing ward still sleeping?" Arthur asked loudly and loftily as he opened the door to Gaius' chambers the following morning. When the king had visited last night, Merlin had been out cold and everyone elected to let him sleep. Gwaine had suggested that they tie Merlin down again so he wouldn't give them all a heart attack but Gaius had regretfully declined.

The physician looked up from eating a bowl of porridge and gave a small laugh. "I believe so, but I have no objections to you visiting so long as you are quiet."

Arthur seemed a bit put out that he would not be able to talk to Merlin but nodded in agreement. "Yes, alright. I trust all is well with him, then?" He noticed that Gaius did not seem anxious at all in the way he had been last night.

The physician smiled and the action lightened his eyes. "Yes, the fomorroh is gone for good and Merlin is getting a much deserved sleep."

Arthur heard the warning in Gaius' words and nodded contentedly before striding up the stairs to Merlin's room. He opened the door slowly and sidled inside without making a sound. The king grabbed the chair at Merlin's desk and placed it beside the bed. Just as he went to sit on it he looked to the servant, but instead of finding him sleeping like the dead, Arthur met Merlin's open eyes.

The younger man took advantage of the king's surprise and spoke first. "You aren't going to open my curtains for me?" Merlin lay on his back, looking sallow and weak as if he were ill, but he had a mischievous smirk on his pale lips.

Arthur blinked at the amusement dancing behind Merlin's eyes and fought not to smile. "You don't have curtains," Arthur informed him and sat down, resting his ankle on his other knee.

"But if I did?" Merlin yawned.

"Then I'd open them for you," Arthur said blandly.

"I have shutters," the servant pointed out.

Arthur could no longer resist smiling. "I don't think you can handle the sun at the moment."

Merlin rubbed his eye and laughed. "I look that bad, huh?"

"Do you feel that bad?" Arthur asked.

"A lot better than yesterday," Merlin answered honestly.

The king sighed. "What do you remember about yesterday, Merlin?" There was a definite rebuke buried in his tone.

The servant rolled his eyes, but did not turn away from Arthur, like the king would have expected. Arthur guessed it was because Merlin did not feel strong enough to move.

"Is this where you tell me I've been a bad Merlin, going off on my poor, unguarded lonesome to do a knight's job?" Merlin laughed at his own joke and grinned crookedly at Arthur. The king felt relief making his heart grow at seeing that his friend was perfectly normal.

Arthur pretended to think for a moment. "No, I think Gwaine wants to do that. Do you want to sit up?"

Merlin appeared momentarily surprised but then looked away, a flush creeping up his neck. Arthur knew what that meant so he helpfully lifted Merlin to sit with his back resting against the wall. "Thanks," he muttered when Arthur adjusted the pillow behind his back.

"Still can't move a muscle then?" Arthur frowned.

Merlin flashed him a rude hand gesture to be contrary, but his arm fell back down with more abandon than if he had full control. "I don't suppose you can convince Gwaine to go easy on me? He can go on, you know."

The king grinned despite Merlin's insolence, or rather because of it. "I'm afraid not, you are the only one he truly listens to."

Arthur watched as Merlin's eyes fell closed above his small smile. The king sighed and decided to hold off their conversation until later. He got up to let Merlin back onto his bed. "I'll let you sleep the-"

"No!" Merlin cried suddenly, his eyes flying open wide and alarmed. "No," he carried on in a quieter voice, "you don't have to."

The change in Merlin made Arthur slightly worried and he did not bother to hide it as he tried to catch Merlin's gaze which was casted downwards. "Merlin?" Arthur asked quietly.

"I've had enough of sleeping for now," Merlin answered with his eyes still downcast.

His shoulders were slightly hunched and he looked troubled. Arthur was suddenly aware what was bothering his friend. "Nightmares?" Arthur guessed.

Merlin nodded and forced a laugh but still did not look at the king. "When did _you_ become an expert?"

Arthur felt a spike of anger meant for Morgana. In a rare show of compassion, Arthur grabbed Merlin's chin and lifted. His eyes locked onto Arthur's, even though they were shadowed with a distant fear.

"Since you have always forced me to tell you of _my_ nightmares," Arthur told him and drew back his hand.

Merlin heard the petulance Arthur wanted him to hear and he could not resist smiling. "I never forced you."

"That remains a point of argument," Arthur teased. "Merlin?"

Merlin's hand hovered over his chest but did not answer- Arthur stiffened upon remembering the horrible night when he had to prevent Merlin from killing himself. The king could not quite suppress a shiver at the memory and Merlin looked at him questioningly.

Arthur sighed and spoke slowly. "When you tried to do me in the other night, you fought it. Merlin you tried to kill yourself so the fomorroh would not kill me. That was not a dream." As soon as he said it aloud anger flared inside Arthur and this time, Merlin deservingly received his fair share.

Merlin froze and paled, causing Arthur to venture to hold off on reprimanding him. "I wasn't sure," he muttered vaguely, "only in my dream I couldn't fight against the fomorroh and I killed you."

"I wish you didn't fight it," Arthur snapped harshly, "and left me to take care of myself."

Merlin looked hurt before adopting a defensive hike in his jaw and mimicking Arthur's tone exactly. "Well all I knew was that I couldn't let it win. I didn't exactly know what was going on, Arthur."

Arthur's eyes narrowed into slits and his fists curled so his knuckles turned white. "So of course your gut reaction was to kill yourself. Bravo, Merlin." He knew that he could have been less foul but having Merlin nearly stab himself so close to his father's death completely terrified him. And his fear masqueraded as anger.

"It was either that or have the fomorroh take control!" Merlin snarled.

"You begged me to kill you, Merlin!" Arthur shouted.

When he couldn't speak past the fear trying to choke him, Merlin took his chance to interrupt. "Do you have any idea what it's like to know you have no control over your own body? To watch yourself try and kill your closest friend? I was scared, Arthur." The servant's nostrils were flared and he pressed his lips together before heatedly glaring at the wall.

Merlin's unguarded words seemed to cool the fury Arthur felt- it was rare that Merlin ever told him how he was feeling. The king looked down and stamped on the inexplicable warmth he felt when Merlin named him as his closest friend. "How do you think I felt?" Arthur asked him quietly. Merlin turned toward him at the clear vulnerability only two people were allowed to hear. "I thought I was having a nightmare at first. It was-… To think that she would do some-… You're a lot stronger than you look you know." He offered Merlin a tentative smile and nudged the servant's arm gently.

Merlin let out an exhausted laugh, and just like that the tension in the air cleared away. "Was that a compliment?"

The king contorted his face in exaggerated consideration and looked sideways at his friend. "No."

"It clearly was," Merlin insisted.

Arthur shook his head. "It was not. Because if it was, I'd know you throw it in my face and try to act like a hero more than you already do. It's not becoming."

Merlin grinned through his yawn. "You said Gwaine was going to lecture me, not you."

"Yes, I did, didn't I?" Arthur droned to which Merlin smirked smugly at him. And because Arthur was still annoyed at his friend for putting himself in danger, he did not let Merlin completely off the hook. "I've been thinking-" Here Merlin groaned in genuine displeasure. "-When you are recovered, I'm having someone teach you about being a servant."

"What?" Merlin asked scandalized, "I know how to be a servant."

"Hmm, well you clearly do not know how to act like one, gallivanting through the forest and all. George will teach you how and it will serve you right for going out on your own."

"George?" Merlin repeated.

Arthur brightened. "You know him?"

"No"

Arthur's grin widened. "Excellent. Oh you are going to _love_ him Merlin, the most efficient servant around."

Merlin scowled stubbornly but had a hint of a smile on his lips. "Doesn't sound like someone I would like."

"Please, you like everyone," Arthur scoffed. "But a word of warning... the man makes jokes about _brass_." Merlin stared as if he did not hear Arthur right and the king fought hard not to laugh. "It'll be fun."

Merlin took that moment to sink back into his bed. "Cover my head, will you?" He asked long-sufferingly. "And get Gaius, I don't feel well." He then produced two pathetic coughs which were extremely false.

Arthur laughed and took pleasure in pulling Merlin's blankets over his head. "Don't worry, you have a week to recover," he grinned and then stood up.

"Really?" His voice was muffled and hopeful. "I mean, a week is hardly enough time. I don't thi-" He broke off to give an enormous yawn which made the sheet over his face flutter.

Arthur smiled and shook his head. "Go to sleep, Merlin," he ordered and left before the dark haired man could protest.

Gaius looked around when he walked down the steps with his eyebrow raised in a chastising manner. Arthur smiled a little apologetically. And despite the fact that Merlin was joking, Arthur told the physician. "He could do with a sleeping draft. One that knocks him right out so he won't have any dreams."

The physician nodded and smiled at the king before going to find one at the work desk closest to the window. "Thank you, Arthur." What exactly for, Arthur wasn't sure.

The king hesitated before leaving and then he turned back to Gaius. He opened his mouth but could not think of the words he wanted to say. "...Make sure he's alright, Gaius," Arthur settled.

As much as he would have liked to watch over Merlin as he had failed to before, Arthur had to find Morgana. He needed to. The king strode for the exit and in his eyes entered a ruthless shadow. Morgana had forced Merlin to be her servant when his loyalty was anywhere but to her. Arthur alone was Merlin's master, _especially since Merlin could not be trusted to be a good one to himself_. And Arthur would never disrespect Merlin so that he would force his servant to do that which went against the very fibre of his being. He knew very well that the only one that Merlin would truly serve was Arthur - a fact he couldn't help but being humbled by. And Arthur vowed he would show Morgana what it meant to defile his friend like that. He cast a last glance at the door to Merlin's room before leaving the chambers and Gaius' stare behind.

|o|

* * *

**The end! AU but it perfectly falls into canon :) Oh if only I was a Merlin writer. Hahaha if wishes were pennies (or is it horses?), or however that saying goes. **

**Guest- :D I've been told I am good at the suspense thing, it's certainly fun making cliffhangers. But not fun waiting for what happens next! Lol thanks so much for reading and reviewing!**

**Guest- Poor Gwaine, isn't the sharpest sword on the rack. And yep I tried to stick as close as possible to canon while still giving it a different spin. So it would still fit in with the rest of the episodes. I hoped you liked the conclusion, and thanks for reviewing!**

**Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing, favourite-ing and alerting! I really hoped you guys were happy with this, and please drop a review if you have the time :D**

**Tootles!**


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